The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-17
FISHES ON LAND.

n year OF Two ago MT. OIhbt hhcu
told the readers of the CornhiU Maga-
zine pretty story of happening upon
some migratory fishes, when he was out
walking one evening, in field some
where in tropical America. The little
fellows were "scuttling along" before
him, and at first, in the half light be mis-
took them for certain small lizards which
were common in that locality; but near
er view proved them to be fishes, all 60
ing in one direction, and all in a great
hurry. They were really, he asserts,
genuine fish, couple of inches long,
not eel-shaped, or serpentine in outline,
but closely resembling red mullet Ia
miniature, though much more beautiful
ly and delicately colored, and with fins
and tails of the most orthodox spiny and
prickly description" To catch them was
not very easy task, as they we're active
and dextrous and by no means willing to
be captured. but Mr.. Allen succeeded;
and on close examination, found them to
be sort OF catfish. He describes them
as pretty, well-formed, bright eyed, and
instead of, being covered with scales,
with bodies "armed all over like the ar
madillos, with,a continuous coat Of hard
and horny mail, formed OF toughened
skin like that of alligators, arranged in
two overlapping rows of intoxicated
| shields, exactly like the round tiles SO
common on the roofs Of italian cottages"
Their gait was ungraceful, which one
can readily believe, as single pair OF
stiff spines just behind thehead was their
only substitute for legs, while the body
and tail give their aid in the onward
motion by a sort Of wriggling, worm
like movement. There was large body
of these little creatures. They numbered,
perhaps, thousands, and we're moving In
a very straight line across the country,
quite as if they were we'll accustomed to
this overland manner of travelling; and
possibly it was not their first experience
| of it. There are several other kinds of
fish, inhsbiting ponds in the hotter parts
| of America, which like the Callichthys
journey about the land. They belong to
groups which have no connection apart
from this peculiar habit; but the neces-
sity of providing a new home, when their
old one became uninhabitsble from long,
continued drought, has induced COM
mon resort to this almost Incredible ex-
pedient
A certain Brazilian fish, species OF
Doras, makes, think, the longest jour-
neys of any known. These Doras will
sometimes spend several days and nights
in single fitting, and travel in such
numbers that the natives of the country
gather them up in baskets, thus provid-
ing for their family larders, by taking
what seems to be an altogether unfair
advantage OF the abnormal flight of the
poor fish.
The Doras move by raising themselves
slightly upon their bony pectoral fins,
while at the same time, an elastic motion
of the tail pushes them forward, and they
manage to get over the ground nearly as
fast as man can walk. The Indians
claim that they have in their bodies
reservoir, in which they carry sufficient
water to keep the gills in q moist condi-
ton during these journeymg.
Many kinds of fish build nests in the
water for the protection of their eggs,
but the Doras make theirs upon the
beach. This they do at the beginning of
the. rainy season. The nest is formed
very nearly like that of bird, and is
built of dry leaves, which the little crea-
ture goes inland to fetch. When it is
finished the eggs are deposited within;
and these small fish parents cover up
their embryo offspring most carefully,an
watch over them with great solicitude.
| The common eel Is known to have SIM
| liar habit of moving about on the land,
and will even live for several days
out of water. When an eel is drawn from
the water and laid upon the earth it at
once puffs out its cheeks in a very notice
| able manner. These cheeks are formed
OF distensible pouches or sacks, covering
the eills, which the eel fills with water in
order that the gill-fbers may be kept
moist, by which means he is enabled to
remain upon the dry land for consider
able time without coming to serious HARM
So, when the pond where the eel makes
his home begins to get dry; he takes in
good supply of water, and starts off to
find another; moving, like snake in an
apparently sinuous course, but really in
surprisingly straight line, for the piece
of water he wishes to reach, whose direc-
ton he seems, by some curious instinct,
to know.
The climbing perch of India, is, per-
haps, the most celebrated of any fish
which voluntarily comes on shore, as he
certainly is the most accomplished in ter
restrial fests He is little fellow, very
like perch in general form, with large
scales, and spiny dorsal fin, and is to be
found In rivers and ponds in most parts
of the East Indies. When the waters
which he inhabits seem in danger of be-
ing dried up, he leaves them and travels
off in search of others. Though he pre-
fers to make these journeys at night, or